# Arturo Fuente Building, Ybor City



## Tamrock (Oct 10, 2011)

Does anyone know when this was built?


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Fuente Cigars Don Carlos Cigars Fuente Hemingway Cigars Short Story Montesino Cigars Flor De *Ybor City* Cigars Casa Cuba Cigars *...* *building* built in 1895 in the once cigar capital of the world, *YBOR CITY*--a little *...* This factory was also one of the original locations for our family's *Arturo Fuente* Cigar Company from the *...* 
Fuente Cigars - Tampa Sweethearts Cigar Company - Don Carlos Cigars Fuente Hemingway Cigars Short Story Montesino Cigars Flor De Ybor City Cigars Casa Cuba Cigars Tampa Bay Cigars Cuban Cigars


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

I think Tony's thinking of the Tampa Sweethearts building, which IIRC was indeed built as a cigar factory in 1895 and purchased by Arturo Fuente in 1912.

However, the building in the pic isn't that building. The building in the pic is actually in downtown Ybor and wasn't a Fuente building. It still bears that old sign, but to my knowledge, the building never belonged to Fuente. My best guess is that the building dates to the early teens and the sign dates back to the 1950's.


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## Hopperb (Jul 29, 2011)

Herf N Turf said:


> I think Tony's thinking of the Tampa Sweethearts building, which IIRC was indeed built as a cigar factory in 1895 and purchased by Arturo Fuente in 1912.
> 
> However, the building in the pic isn't that building. The building in the pic is actually in downtown Ybor and wasn't a Fuente building. It still bears that old sign, but to my knowledge, the building never belonged to Fuente. My best guess is that the building dates to the early teens and the sign dates back to the 1950's.


Herf&Turf is correct about that not being their building. The sign is still there but not on that building. It is in front of a newer shop on 7th.

For information go to tampasweethearts.com and theY have a page there with the history of the family and the buildings. In fact the family lived above the factory area of the current building at one time.

Bill


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Okay, you've sent me sifting through my old pics and the even mustier dungeon of my brain!

The sign hangs where it's always hung, affixed to the front facade of the King Corona Cigars and Bar shop in Ybor at 1523 East 7th Avenue. The sign was erected about 15yrs ago by King Corona who opened about the same time. Again the building is of unknown date, but figure about a hundred years, give or take. It never belonged to Fuente, but rather is there to indicate that you can buy their cigars there.



















I also typo'd above. Fuente didn't purchase the building in 1912, rather that was the year they were founded. They didn't take over the Charles the Great building until ca1962:


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## Hopperb (Jul 29, 2011)

You are right! But... There is another duplicate of the sign in front of a single story shop right next to the place where they grind and sell their own local coffee. Can't recall the name.


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Haha, Bill. Maybe that's the criteria for having one of those signs! You have to sell Fuentes and grind your own local coffee, cuz KC does the same thing!

BTW, those aren't my pics and the pic of the TS is from the rear. It's under construction YET AGAIN. Of course, I've never seen it when it wasn't under construction.


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## DW9000 (Jun 3, 2011)

im going to guess 1917


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## pdisme (Sep 14, 2011)

That's funny; I've been going to king corona for the better part of a decade and have never noticed that sign.


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